Unshakable
by Akito The Sex Goddess
Summary: He cared about her, more than anyone in the world. And that was the honest and unshakable truth. Shigure x Akito, lemon in chapter 6. Future chapters coming. Please R&R!
1. Honesty

The novelist sat at his desk, pen in hand, scribbling down the last few words of his latest romance novel. His pen stopped on the last period, eyes gazing down upon the words that stared him back in the face. As a wave crashes against the shore, he was hit with a brick of writer's block. The words had just left his tongue, left his pen. There was a bit left to write—not a lot, but there was something. As he thought about his characters and how he should wrap up the story, the events of the past night nagged at his mind.

"_Don't touch me! Don't even look at me! I hate you!"_

It was abnormally quiet in the house, as Tohru had gone grocery shopping with Yuki, and Kyou was training at the dojo. Shigure never liked silence, he always liked something droning in the background, whether it be the cat and rat's mellowing antics, or even the sound of a pot of stew boiling on the stove, quiet humming releasing from Tohru's lips. He sighed deeply and turned his iPod on with the press of a button, and music began playing from the small stereo it was connected to.

_Hello, my beautiful. It seems I just can't stay away. It's been so long that I've felt anything this strong…_

He sighed, trying to write the next sentence; hopefully the soft music would de-stifle his creative muse…Oh, that was working wonders, he was already making up words. He sighed deeply, managing to write the word "the" before he set down the pen, removed his glasses, and leaned back, closing his eyes.

That memory just wouldn't leave his mind. He had gone to Akito in a rather chipper mood that morning. Now that the curse was broken, there was just one more thing he had to do…The crisp red _tsubaki_ he had held in his hands, a symbol of his love for the woman, would help him to achieve that goal, however…

"_I don't want to see you! Please, just leave me alone! I can't stand you!"_

It was too quiet in the house. He pressed a button a few times, and with each click rose the volume. He put his glasses back on and managed to write two more words before grumbling and rubbing his eyes.

He remembered the look on her face. It had changed the minute they had caught glances. But the moment he had opened the door, she had been…_embarrassed_? He didn't know why, she had been all alone in her room. She had been sitting on the floor, with her back to the door, and she must have been holding something. But when she turned, she hid the item and stared at him.

"_Akito, I have something for you…"_

"_I don't want to see you!"_

"_But…Akito…"_

"_Please, just leave me alone!"_

He had stepped forward, the tsubaki flower in one hand which he held behind his back, the other reaching for her arm.

"_Don't touch me! Don't even look at me! I hate you!"_

"_Why must you be so testy?"_

"_Shut up! Don't you get it? I can't stand you! Just go!"_ She looked at him with tears in her eyes. _"I said go!"_

He remembered looking into those eyes, those painful, angry eyes…The eyes that could bring him to his knees. He had felt his stomach churning, a tightening sensation gripping his insides, a burning searing through his skin at every moment she looked at him like that. He had crumbled the flower in his hands, and let the red petals slip from between his fingers before he turned around and left, without a single word.

He hated Akito. He hated that she could tug on his heartstrings by just glancing at him. He hated how she toyed with him, how she never let him feel like a man, how she degraded him, twisted him and his emotions…How whenever they made love, it was forced and unpleasant, how whenever he wanted to kiss her she would turn away, how the slightest thing he said or did earned him a smack across the face… He was more cursed than any of the other Jyuunishi. He was cursed with forbidden love. He understood that Hatori had sort of a forbidden love but…he had Mayuko now. Shigure knew that he could never have Akito the way he wanted to. He could never lay with her and run his hands through long tresses of black hair…He could never savor sweet kisses, never wake up and find her huddled against him…

He moved the paper quickly as he snapped the pen in half, a stream of ink splattering along the table and his kimono. Luckily, none got on his manuscript, and he moved it before going to clean up the mess. _Sigh_… He wished he wouldn't get so angry over her. She really wasn't worth it. She would never love him the way he loved her, he would just have to accept that. Maybe it really _was_ his fault… Maybe… she would be much happier with Kureno.

Suddenly, he heard the door to the outside open. "_That must be Tohru and Yuki, back with groceries_," he thought wiping his kimono with a rag he had gotten. From his office, he called out, "Welcome back, children! Just go ahead and put the groceries away, I'll be out in a jiffy!"

He tried to sound happy and energetic as usual—he didn't want to project his problems upon the children... He usually didn't project his feelings upon _anyone_, even Hatori or Ayame. Ayame wouldn't understand on that sort of intellectual level, and though Hatori would, well, Hatori had a good share of his own problems.

Hearing the door to his office open, he, hunched over as he cleaned his kimono, used a hand to wave off the intruder. "I said, I'll be out in a— "

As he had turned around, his chocolate orbs had met the gaze of coal eyes, eyes that could bring him to his knees.

"…A…Akito…"

She looked down at her feet, shifting uncomfortably, her slightly long bangs hanging in her eyes. "I…" she began, her hands trembling as they gripped something the novelist couldn't see. "…Yesterday, I…don't know why…I…"

Shigure took a step towards her, placing his hands around hers, and although she winced, she didn't protest. "Akito," he said, using one hand to gently glide up her arm until it met her neck, chin, then resting against her cheek. "You don't need to apologize."

Akito bit her bottom lip, pushing aside Shigure's fingers before she emptied the contents of her hand into his own. A single red petal slipped between his fingers and landed at his feet.

"I wasn't sure what to… make of this…"

"I didn't think you'd remember," Shigure responded, softly, turning his head away as he let the rest of the petals fall to the tatami mat beneath him. However, he felt a slender hand against his cheek, and turned back to her.

"I remember," she said firmly, yet softly. Her voice was near that of a child. "It… was the best day of my life."

Shigure smiled softly. "Mine too." He put an arm around Akito, surprised she let him keep it there. "…I meant it then, and I mean it now," he added, lowering his head to be nearer to him. "I care about you," he whispered, reciting his words from that warm spring day when they were young, his breath hitting her lips. "More than I care about anyone. And that is the honest and unshakeable truth."

Akito slowly reached up and pulled off his glasses before leaning in to kiss him. And as their lips met, Shigure realized this was the first kiss he could savor, the first time he was able to hold Akito like this, to take in her sweet scent, to taste the sweetness of her lips, like a honeysuckle… He wanted every day to be like this.

He closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, feeling the warm rays of sun filter in through the window. He realized that this was the first warm day of winter, and along with the melting snow he could feel the icy tension between he and Akito melting away until there was nothing left but warmth.

They eventually found themselves on the _kotatsu_, the back of Akito's head against the wooden surface of the table, her hands gripped to his shoulders, gently pressing against the eight little crescent-shaped scars she had put there in the past. Shigure had one hand against the table to raise him up, the other against the smooth exterior of the raven-haired woman's exposed thigh.

It was the first time they could make love without being rushed by anyone or anything, and as they lay there in sweet ecstasy, the two of them half-covered by Shigure's kimono, his fingers twirling through Akito's short hair, inhaling her scent, listening for the differences in their breathing patterns…he realized that he wanted it to always be like this. And somewhere deep down, he knew that she reserved only this kind of attention for him. He knew that Kureno would never experience anything like this with Akito. Shigure himself didn't know Akito was capable of this. For the first time, she was…a woman. A true woman, in every aspect of the word.

"Shigure…" she began breathily, looking up at him. He gazed into those coal eyes of hers, his hand resting at the base of her neck, his other hand against her pale, exposed back.

"Yes?" he asked, placing a gentle kiss against her forehead before using the hand previously fastened on her neck to move aside her bangs. She blinked for a moment before sliding her hand against his chest, looking at him, licking her lips.

"I love you, Shigure."

He froze, if only for a moment. She had never told him that in his entire life—he understood that some things were hard for her to say, such as an apology. So it was a great deal to him to hear this, and after he relaxed, he smiled back at her, running his thumb along her jaw line.

"I love you too, Akito."

She smiled, a few tears sliding down her cheeks, before she leaned in to kiss him.

After a while, she had gathered her things and headed out, and as Shigure watched her leave, a smile spread across his features before he turned to enter his office again. Grabbing a new pen, he sat down under the kotatsu and pulled out his manuscript. He finally knew how to finish the book.

"_The ice in her eyes had melted away, and it was at that moment that the man knew that, despite any argument or aversion that might fall between them to put their relationship in jeopardy, Nana was the woman for him, and no matter what happened to either of them, he would always love her more than anything or anyone else in the world. And that was the honest and unshakeable truth."_


	2. Beauty

"We're home!"

Shigure grinned as he heard the familiar voices of his young cousin Yuki and the beautiful Tohru as they re-entered the home, rising from his spot under the kotatsu in his writing office, pulling together the pages of his now finished manuscript before he placed it into a manila folder marked "Mitsuru."

"How did shopping go?" he asked as he walked out into the kitchen where the two teenagers now stood, unloading a few food items from paper bags they both held. Tohru grinned back at him.

"Very well, Shigure! They were having a sale!"

"Is that so?" he asked, smiling as he patted the brunette's head, before going to help her unload the grocery bag she had been rifling through. Yuki brushed silver bangs from his eyes and opened the fridge to place a few cans of soda inside.

"You seem happy today. Did my brother stop by?"

"No, no. I just…finished my manuscript," Shigure replied, smiling as he thought of the earlier events. The first warmth he had felt from Akito, the first tender kisses they had shared…there were so many firsts that day, and thinking of each one brought hope into the novelist's eyes.

"So," he began, pulling himself from his thoughts. "When's Kyou coming home?"

"Oh," Tohru said, perking up as she removed her scarf, once finished with unpacking the groceries, and hung the white fabric up on a rack. "He said he would be sure to make it back by supper-time."

"It's no wonder, with Kyou and Kazuma;" Yuki chimed in. "There isn't a single cooking skill between the two of them."

Shigure chuckled as he helped take Tohru's coat. He loved these moments of sweetness, lightness, without fighting or anything as such thing…He cherished those moments in which there was no worry to be had, no thoughts to trouble the mind…It was then that it hit him. Things were finally going to get better. They were going to change. Maybe, for once, the Sohma family would be exactly that—a family.

"_I love you, Shigure."_

Suddenly, the phone rang, yanking Shigure from his thoughts. Tohru gave a smile as she bounded up, in that ever-energetic way of hers.

"I'll get it!" she said, skipping off down the hall. Hearing her soft voice as she answered, Shigure smiled and went into the kitchen, pulling out a kettle to make some tea.

"What happened?" Yuki asked, quietly, and Shigure turned to him, turning on the water as he started to fill up the kettle. He was just about to answer the question he thought Yuki was asking, but suddenly the silver-haired boy continued. "I mean…What makes now any different from before? I mean, now the curse is broken, but… What changes this from anything? Sure, I don't transform into the rat anymore…but that doesn't mean I'm any less cursed. You can't rebuild a bridge once it's been burned. And…I don't know how everyone is so quick to forgive Akito. You, even Tohru, even the stupid cat…I don't know if I could ever forgive hi-…her…After all of those years…"

Shigure sighed and looked down, shutting off the water before he set the kettle down and approached his cousin. "Yuki," he began, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You may feel cursed…And I have a feeling that the Sohma family will never be…_normal_. At least, not now. Not until the years pass, and people slowly forget that there ever was a curse, and one day our future generation will think this is all a myth, that it never happened…But you're wrong, Yuki. You can rebuild those bridges. It just takes a lot of time. A lot of searching for the right wood. And board by board, you'll rebuild it, until one day, a brand new bridge will be standing in front of you. And you might remember the old bridge that went up in flames but…it's a new place to walk on."

"Shigure," came a voice from the hall. Tohru stood there, her arms wrapped around her petite form. "It's for you."

"Who is it?" the novelist asked as he made his way for the hall, where the phone was located. Tohru next word rang in his ears.

"Akito."

He froze only briefly before he rushed for the phone. Akito never called, not unless she wanted him to come over, and usually it was when something bad happened. What could have gone wrong since she had left just an hour prior?

"Akito?" he asked, quietly, yet urgently, into the phone once he had picked it up. "What's wrong?"

"I…" she began. Her voice was cool, yet full of tears. It struck Shigure's heart. Sometimes, he preferred hearing her yell at him. The crying…the _real_ crying…got him every time. She sniffed. "I couldn't say anything when I was there… You looked so happy…"

"What?" he asked, more frantically this time, gripping the phone the way he wanted to hold her hands right then. "What is it? You can tell me…"

"It's not really something to say in the phone…I…" Akito began, stuttering. She paused. "I don't even know why-…I shouldn't have called…"

"Do you want me to come over?" he asked, looking back at the door as Kyou had entered. He had started in on his usual complaining until he caught Shigure's quick glance, automatically slowing down. This alerted Yuki and Tohru, albeit not purposely, and the two hushed to listen in on the conversation.

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can."

The phone was set on the receiver, and the novelist quickly went to the door, slipping on his shoes and coat.

"Where are ya goin', Shigure?" Kyou asked, looking at him with a bit of concern. Tohru and Yuki stood not too far away, the same look in their eyes.

"The main house. I'll call you if I won't make it back tonight," Shigure responded, and, after giving them a nod, he headed out the door, rushing to reach his car, leaving the three kids standing back, watching him leave.

He remembered the look on her face just hours earlier, the kindness he had witnessed, the _change_ he had seen in her…How could something have been wrong? She seemed so genuinely happy, so utterly convincing…

Then again, now that he thought about it, he had seen something different in her eyes, it hadn't been pure happiness… Then he thought, did he _do_ something to make her angry? That had never upset him so much before…In fact, in the past, he loved to pull at her strings. But that was because she would pull right back, it was fun. But this? No, this wasn't fun. Not when he was worried sick about her.

Then again, it could have been nothing. Akito was a hypochondriac. He remembered all of the times she had called him to come over before, sometimes she was just lonely, or sometimes she just wanted someone to hurt, sometimes she had caught a cold, or eaten bad sushi, or _anything_. But for some reason, he knew this wasn't the same. There had been something in her voice that let him know she was serious. And so, he found himself pressing the gas pedal a little harder, until he had reached the main estate and parked.

It only took a short time for him to enter the grounds, being waved to by the young Momiji who had been wandering around, though the boy had caught on quickly that Shigure was in a serious mood, though the novelist did his best to _not_ let him know.

He eventually had rushed to the main house, entering without knocking, being looked at by a few maids as he made his way to Akito's room. Once he had reached it, he had flung the door open to see Akito, looking into a broken mirror, with shards of glass lying at her feet.

The only sounds in the room were Shigure's heavy breathing from rushing all the way there, and Akito's occasional sniffles. Slowly, she turned to face him, and he stood there, in the doorway, looking at her in all seriousness and worry.

"Shigure…" she began, looking down at her feet before looking back at him. There were tears formed in her eyes.

Slowly, the novelist stepped inside, shutting the door behind him, and approached her, reaching up and using his thumb to wipe the corner of her eye dry. "What is it?" he whispered against her forehead, looking down at her, his hair hanging in his face. She closed her eyes, beginning to cry, gripping onto the front of his kimono.

"That woman…" she began, choking on her own tears. "…she was a horrible mother. She shouldn't have been a mother at all. That wretched woman."

"Well, I'm glad she was," Shigure whispered, running his hand along the back of the raven-haired woman's neck. "Or else I would be alone, without you."

"But you'd have _her,_" Akito suddenly spat, yanking herself from his grip and turning around, clutching her stomach. "That horrible woman. You'd sleep with her all the time, I bet. You'd love her, because she's beautiful. Disgustingly beautiful. Horribly beautiful. With her long hair, full chest…That's the kind of woman you want, isn't it? That's a real woman."

Shigure hesitated slightly before he placed his hand upon Akito's shoulder. "That sort of woman would be nice, I do admit…" he began, and Akito suddenly tensed. But then he leaned in, whispering against the back of her neck. "…but I've never met a woman as real as you. I've never met a woman as beautiful as you. And I've never wanted a woman as much as you."

Akito's eyes widened beneath her full bangs, and she began to cry, closing her eyes tightly. Forcing herself to swallow the lump in her throat, she spoke. "You lie."

"I couldn't be any closer to the truth," he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind, resting his lips against the side of her neck. "I will never love a woman as much as I love you."

Akito looked down, remaining as still as she could. "…What if I was a man?"

Shigure chuckled. "Is that what this is all about?" he asked, his voice vibrating against her neck. "I don't think we have to worry about that," he continued, sliding his hands from her smooth stomach up to cup her chest, covered by her kimono. "Yup, you're definitely a woman."

"Things would be better if I was a man! I should be a man, right?" she suddenly yelled, pulling away from the novelist again. Keeping her head low, she added, "…then _this_…couldn't happen to me."

"What couldn't?" he asked, approaching her from behind again. He looked at her, more concerned this time, placing his hand on her side. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Oh, you mean _that_?" he asked, thinking. Suddenly, his hope dropped. If it really was just, well, _that time of month_, then that meant that what happened earlier was just a…mood swing… "…Is that all you called me up here for?"

"No!" she screamed, turning around to face him. There were tears in her eyes. "I'm not on my fucking period!" She grabbed him by the robe, angrily. "That's exactly the problem! I haven't been for two months you, you…_idiot_!"

Suddenly, Shigure was silent, his eyebrows knitting a bit, looking at her with concerned eyes. "Wait…" he began, his voice hushed. "You're…_pregnant_?"


	3. Confliction

"Wait…you're _pregnant_?"

Shigure stood ahead of Akito, who gripped onto his robe fiercely, a ferocious look in those coal eyes of hers. She was trembling, at a loss of words, her face red with anger and embarrassment…even shame. Suddenly, she let go of him, dropping her hands at her sides, and turning around. She didn't know what to say. He didn't either, and he stood there, trying to get his thoughts together before he went to comfort her.

"Akito," he began, taking a step towards her, and she fell to her knees, curling up in a ball. She was crying, hard this time, gripping her shoulders as she let out a soft whine.

"I d…I don't w-want to b-be like her," she spluttered out, and Shigure automatically bent down to her side, putting his arms around her and resting his chin on top of her head. She was trembling as she continued. "…L-Like that stupid…evil woman…"

"Hey," Shigure began, pulling his head away before he kissed her cheek. "You're not going to be anything like her," he whispered against her skin. After a moment of watching her silently, his eyes dropping for a moment, he looked back at her. "Does anyone else know?"

"Hatori," she responded, sniffing as she tried to regain her composure. She closed her eyes as she tried to recall if anyone else knew. "The head maid…That's it."

Shigure was, frankly, surprised that Kureno didn't know, and he almost felt like asking, but decided against it. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that the baby was his—although sometimes he didn't necessarily trust Akito, seeing as when she got angry with him, she rebelled in ways like sleeping with Kureno…However, the guy had gotten stabbed by her, and to be honest Shigure didn't know if one, Kureno would ever sleep with someone who practically tried to kill him, and two, it was possible to sleep with someone while in the hospital with a stab wound in the lower back.

"I know what you're thinking," Akito suddenly said, lifting her head, though she still faced the other way. "Stop thinking it, because I'm not like that anymore. This baby is yours."

"I didn't have a doubt in my mind," he replied with a smile, keeping his arm around her. "Now, how about we cheer up a bit now."

"Cheer up? How am I supposed to cheer up at a time like this?" Akito asked, finally turning to him as she rubbed her eyes. "This is not a time to be happy!"

"But Akito," he began, scooting forward, putting her head in his hands. "Now we have an heir to the head of the Sohma family… And just think about it this way…" Smirking, he leaned forward so that his forehead was touching hers. "…Now _that woman_ is going to be a grandmother."

Shigure didn't know how it happened, but he ended up bedding with Akito twice in one day. Albeit, the second was not as soft as the first, but they hadn't fully gone back into their old habits…It was simply more passion-filled this time, though there were some major differences, all of which Shigure noticed when he awoke the next day.

One, he couldn't feel any scratches on his shoulders.

Two, when he awoke, Akito's arms were snaked around him, and for the first time, she looked peaceful when she was sleeping.

And three, he woke up first. Usually, he would wake up to see Akito sitting on the other side of the room, looking out the window. And usually, she'd tell him two words: "get out."

But that morning was different, indeed. For one, Akito never held onto him like this. He studied her in her sleep—she looked like a child in her mother's embrace. He smiled at this thought, seeing how at peace she looked, and was a bit sad that he would have to leave. However, he had completely forgotten to call the kids the night before, and, well, he shouldn't push his limits.

He bent down and kissed her forehead, pulling the blanket of her futon over her, watching her stir in her sleep for a bit. Slowly, he pulled away from her, making sure to cover her up well before he slipped his robe on and went to head out the door. However, before he could make it out, a hand grabbed his ankle. He turned around; smiling as he met Akito's dark, enticing eyes.

"Akito," he began, bending down ahead of her and giving her forehead a kiss. "Get some sleep," he whispered before kissing her again. "I have to get back home. See you soon."

Shigure wasn't really sure what to think as he drove back down to his house, just a few miles away from the Sohma estate. Of course, this whole pregnancy thing was going to change a few things. A baby…Sure he wanted children, and he was more than ready, at the ripe age of twenty nine…But Akito, he wasn't sure if _she_ was ready. She had a bad enough childhood, he could understand why she would be upset by having this…child. There was something growing inside of her, a living, human being that was going to depend on her…Which, Shigure could only imagine, scared the daylights out of her.

"I'm home!" he called as he entered the door, removing his coat and shoes before heading inside. Kyou and Yuki were under the kotatsu, having hot drinks that Tohru had just brought out. She was cleaning up a small spill when the novelist entered the living room.

"Welcome back, Shigure!" she said, that ever-happy look on her face. Kyou and Yuki looked at him, but seemed rather tired.

"Sorry I just didn't get the chance to call you guys last night," Shigure said as he sat down in front of the boys, pouring himself a drink. "Is the house intact?"

"Yeah," Kyou responded lamely. He was interested in some sort of television show, and Yuki watched with him, though they both appeared a bit bored.

"I can sure see things have been lively while I've been away…"

"What did you go to the main house for, anyway?" Yuki asked, his eyes shifting from the television to the novelist. Shigure looked at him with raised eyebrows before he suddenly smiled.

"Akito just wanted to tell me something."

"And h…she couldn't have just called?" Kyou asked, though he was still focused on the television show, though his eyes quickly darted to Tohru as she stood to go back into the kitchen.

"Well, you know Akito…" Shigure mused, taking a sip of hot tea, feeling it warm him up instantly, contrasting with the chill that fluttered through the air. He shifted uneasily as he thought about the whole ordeal. Well, he knew Akito wouldn't get rid of the child. He wasn't going to allow her to—no one would. So, they were going to have a child together. It was set. And there was nothing wrong with it. The curse was broken, everyone was free, and it was time to move on with their lives. Everyone knew Akito was a woman now, so none of this was really a problem…Most of the younger children didn't know the extent of Shigure and Akito's relationship, but they knew that it existed…So in reality, they had nothing to hide.

Yet, something felt strange. It was an alien feeling, really. The feeling of knowing he and Akito had created another being…Was this what all fathers felt like? Probably. In all honesty, though, they were the first out of the Jyuunishi to start a family. Even the first to get engaged (**A/N:** Giving her the flower was his proposal). So, in this world of firsts, he really had no one to relate to. The person in the zodiac who came closest to this was Hatori, but even so he had never actually gotten married to Kana. Of course, he had Mayuko, but their relationship was too new to even think about marriage. Shigure on the other hand knew that he was going to marry Akito that night in the garden so many years ago; when he had told her that he loved her. It was only a matter of time. And he had been right, because right now, he was starting a family with her.

"What are you thinkin' about?" Kyou asked, pulling Shigure from his thoughts. The novelist sipped his drink before standing, brushing off his kimono.

"Just life. You know what? I think I'm going to use the phone," he said, giving a nod to the three children before he headed over to the phone, shaking his head. He really needed someone to talk to, and he knew just the person. Or…people.


	4. Confusion

"When did you find out?" Ayame asked, a tea cup pressed to his lips as he spoke. He took a sip as Shigure spoke.

"Last night," he replied, tapping his cigarette against the ash tray he and Hatori were sharing. "And quite frankly, I don't know what to do."

"That's quite natural," Hatori replied before taking a long drag on his own cigarette. Exhaling a puff of smoke, he continued. "…but for her sake, you need to figure out something."

"I know," Shigure said, sighing as he rested the cigarette against his lips, though he didn't yet put it in his mouth. "…I'm going to marry her. I guess that's the first step."

Ayame grinned, setting down his tea cup. "That's fantastic, Gure. This moment's only been waiting to happen for what, ten years?"

Shigure chuckled. "Well, I needed to wait until she was legal, heh heh." Ayame shared a laugh with him, but Hatori only offered a small smile.

"Shigure," the doctor began, taking another drag. "Though this is the right step, you still need to accommodate for her needs. She's still a fragile person. And having a child is only going to make it ten times worse on her."

"I know, but I'm not going to 'baby' her." Shigure responded. Hatori shook his head.

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I know you and I know her. And I know how malicious you can get. Akito already has a volatile mood, and along with her hormones being… 'on the fritz'… Well, don't be so hard on her."

"Ha'ri, he only defends himself," Ayame began, refilling his tea cup. "You know how she can get. You of all people should know _that_ much."

"Yes," Hatori responded. "…but I also know that there is a child in the balance."

"A child?" came a voice from the door. The three looked behind them to see a young woman with short brown hair, one hand holding a tray of tea, while the other held the door to the porch open. The three who sat on the porch steps watched as she approached with the tea. "Sorry to interrupt."

"That's fine, Mayuko," Shigure said as he took the tray from her. Chuckling, he handed out tea cups. "Hatori, you're turning her into a boy. When I dated her, her hair was long!"

"Ha-ha, very funny, Shigure," the teacher replied, giving Hatori a gentle peck to the cheek. "I cut my hair for my own reasons."

"Oh, I could never cut my hair that short," Ayame said, taking a sip of tea. Shigure gave him a playful nudge to the shoulder.

"You never cut your hair at all."

"Some men were born to have long hair!" he protested, grinning. The four of them shared a quiet laugh as Mayuko quietly collected their old tea cups. As Shigure extinguished his cigarette, he thought to himself. This was all a good distraction, really, but the worry still nagged at the back of his mind. However, he tried to not let his friends know. Unlike him, they could stay happy. Hatori had Mayuko, whom he would probably eventually marry and have children without any problem. Shigure didn't know if Ayame was really the type to have children, but he definitely had that Mine girl, though he wasn't sure how serious their relationship really was. Shigure himself, on the other hand, was the most cursed one of them all. He would always be cursed, even though the spirit of the dog had left him. He was cursed with being hopelessly in love with the one person who could crush him the most.

By the time Shigure had decided to head home from Hatori's house, the sky was a musky, dark gray. He was working on his fifth cigarette as well—he wasn't used to chain smoking, but it was a good stress reducer. Ayame had left already, Mayuko had gone inside, and it was only he and Hatori that stood in front of his car.

"Will you be alright?" the doctor asked him, looking at his best friend. Shigure looked towards the horizon, taking one last long drag on his cigarette before letting the smoke billow from his lips, dropping the small white cylinder on the ground, falling to its fate of being crushed beneath Shigure's sandal.

"I'll live," he responded, turning back to Hatori. "It's Akito I'm worried about."

"She'll be okay," the doctor said, nodding reassuringly. "Just give her time." Shigure's eyes creased as he smiled.

"See you around."

He didn't remember the ride home, or even walking all the way up the stairs before he collapsed against his bed. He didn't remember half of what they talked about, or how many cigarettes and cups of tea he had. All that he could think about was Akito. How was she feeling, what was going to happen between them because of this child…When he was going to tell everyone. He wondered what they would think. He wondered what _Ren_ would think. And his parents…

He chuckled at that thought. His mother kept reminding him that she wasn't getting younger and neither was he, and that she wanted some grandchildren. Well, now she was getting her wish. His father would probably be proud, too.

He wished that Akito had that sort of support.

Groaning, he rolled onto his other side, realizing that he was having a bit of insomnia. If he was going to sleep, he would have to stop thinking so much. So, he closed his eyes, using a method his mother used to help him get to sleep as a child. First, he relaxed his feet, then his legs, working his way up all the way from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. Finally, when the heavy sensation of sleep took over his body, he let himself fall into a world of darkness.

He dreamt of her that night.

It was more of a memory than a dream, really. He found himself walking out on the porch near the tsubaki garden, sighing as his gaze met a small, yukata-clad form, knelt in front of a large tsubaki bush near the steps. He took a spot on the step beside her, watching her stand in silence. They both were motionless for a moment, until Shigure shifted, tilting his head at her.

"I heard about your father," he said softly, his eyes lowering for a moment. The raven-haired girl stood there, ahead of him, her head bowed, her body unmoving.

"I wish I could say he was in heaven now," the young girl said, plucking a tsubaki flower from the bush. She held it in her hand before she crushed it to bits, letting the petals fall down onto the ground. "…but I'm not sure if I believe in something like that."

"Well, wherever he is, I'm sure he would want you to cope. To live. Not to forget, but…to remember him for what he was," Shigure responded, looking at her, though she still had her back to him. "He loved you so much."

"…But that doesn't matter, does it? He's gone. And his love is wasted. _That woman_ doesn't love me," Akito said, blinking the tears away. Swallowing, she turned around and looked at him.

"_Do you love me, Shigure?"_

Thunder boomed, and the novelist opened his eyes, seeing the gentle flicker of lightning spread through the room, along with a few more rolls of thunder that lolled in the background. Rubbing his eyes, Shigure sat up in his bed. At first, he looked to the alarm clock, and was surprised for two reasons; one, that the clock was still working, and two, that it was already six in the morning. In fact, now that he looked, it was light outside, though it was still storming.

Groaning, he got out of the futon, fixing his robe before he stepped out into the hallway, coughing a bit as he trudged down the stairs. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the changing light once he had reached the floor and turned it on—to be honest, he was a little surprised that Tohru wasn't up, making breakfast.

Just as he was about to open the fridge, however, he heard the doorbell. Wondering who would be stopping by at six in the morning, he ran a hand through his hair before going to the door and sliding it open, only to meet the gaze of an all-too familiar face.

"_Ren_?"


	5. Romance

**A/N;** _Sorry this took so long, guys! But here it is, chapter five!_

"_Ren?"_

The novelist stood there, wide-eyed, looking at the raven-haired woman who stood before him. The woman who resembled his love near perfectly, except for her exceptionally long hair, radiant skin, voluptuous figure…

But Shigure saw right through the façade. He knew that deep down; she was even more twisted than her daughter.

"Oh, Shigure…" Ren began, tilting her head to the side with a smile. "The years have been treating you well. You just keep getting more and more handsome."

"What do you want, Ren?" Shigure asked, a smile on his face, though his eyes were cold. He leaned against the door frame and looked at her goddess-esque form, the showering rain her backdrop, a few droplets clinging to her porcelain skin. He wasn't fooled, but she was beautiful.

"To come in," she answered, taking a step towards him. "Will you let me, Shigure?"

He studied her for a moment. "I don't know," he began, his eyes lowering for a moment as he looked her over. "I didn't think they'd let you out of your 'coop'."

"That child may be head of the family, but I'm a grown woman, Shigure," she replied, her tongue laced with acid. Suddenly, though, her expression softened, and she placed a finger to his chin, smirking. "…A grown woman who knows what she wants."

A dark chuckle escaped Shigure's lips. His expression was equally cold. "Does she, now?" he asked. As Ren leaned in further, however, he turned his head to the side. "I don't think she does. I think she's just…manipulative."

"_Manipulative_? Little old me? Why, that hurts, Shigure. And it's an awful lot coming from the one who let that Honda girl stay solely to _use_ her to break the curse!" Ren spat, lowering her brows, though suddenly her gaze changed directions, and Shigure turned around to meet the shimmering, blue eyes of a petite brunette.

Ren smirked as she made her way into the house, passing Shigure and looking at Tohru, a smirk on her face. "The truth hurts, doesn't it, Little One? To think that the kindness he showed to you was only a façade. There is no kindness in our world. There is only the curse. Once cursed, always a curse. Isn't that right? Doesn't it just _kill_ you to know that there's nothing a foolish girl like _you_ can do about it—"

"Don't talk to her like that!" Shigure yelled, yanked Ren away by her shoulder. She smirked coldly, looking at him for a moment before turning to Tohru.

"…And now…by being here…you're cursed too. Maybe…you're the most cursed of us all."

Tohru collapsed onto her knees, her hands pressed to the floor, keeping her head low. Shigure glared at Ren, biting his lip in disgust, cringing as she smirked.

"What do you want, Ren?" he asked, glaring at her, his eyes icier than ever before. She smirked, turning around with a grin, brushing her long, black hair with her hand.

"…you to know how _foolish_ you are," she said, turning back to him. "Foolish that you chose _her_," she spat. It was obvious who she meant. "…You should have left her like everyone else. But it's too late for that, now, isn't it?"

Shigure bent down to Tohru's side, putting his arm around her as he looked back up at Ren, acid in his eyes. "It's none of your business," he said, though there was a strange, dark smile etched on his features. "Who I choose to spend my time with is my business and mine alone. Your jealousy has no effect on me, Ren."

"Shigure…what is she talking about?" Tohru asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. The novelist looked at her, shaking his head, knitting his brows. However, just as he was about to speak, the long-haired woman that stood ahead of them stepped forward, bending down to their level. With a cold smirk, she placed a dainty finger to Tohru's smooth chin.

"He's went and procreated with that filthy child," she spat, leaning forward before darting a cold eye towards the novelist beside her. "Continuing the bastard blood."

"And where do you think that blood originated?" Shigure asked, equally cold, pressing his forehead to Ren's with a smirk. "…It sure wasn't Akira, now, was it?"

Suddenly, the woman's nonchalant demeanor was wiped away, and her face twisted into a distorted grimace. "How dare you say such things!" she screamed, scratching at his face. Shigure defensively pushed Tohru away, taking the hit without flinching.

"You speak of your child…as if she were a stranger," Tohru spoke up, keeping her head low. Shigure looked at her as she continued. "…How can you…hate someone…that you bore from your womb?" She was crying. "That person should be special to you…Even more so that…your husband is dead…"

Ren's featured had softened for only a moment before distorting once again. "Don't speak of what you do not know, child!" she screamed, reaching out to lash at her face, but Shigure however had grabbed her before she could do so. He struggled a bit—it was much easier with Akito, who didn't even weigh a hundred pounds yet.

Kyou and Yuki stood in the doorway, horrified expressions on their faces, as Shigure yanked Ren, who struggled, from the scene. Suddenly, though, Ren's tense body softened, and she turned away—however, Shigure instinctively remained close.

"Fine. Have it your way," she said, running a hand through her long, raven hair. Her eyes focused upon the crying Tohru briefly before she turned, making her way for the exit. She stopped, however, in the center of the doorway, before turning back to Shigure. With a smirk on her face, she spoke. "It's too bad. It's just too bad." And with that, she was gone.

For a moment, Shigure kept his gaze on the door, as Kyou and Yuki darted to make their way towards the crying brunette on the floor.

"Did she hit her?" Kyou asked, his head quickly pulling up to look at Shigure, who kept his back to the group. After the novelist shook his head, Kyou returned his attention to Tohru, putting his arm around her as both he and Yuki comforted her.

"Shigure," Tohru suddenly said, looking up at him through teary eyes. The novelist gave a long sigh, closing his eyes for a moment, as the girl continued her statement. "So…that means that…Akito is pregnant?"

"What?" Kyou suddenly yelled, looking from Tohru to Shigure. Apparently, they hadn't caught that part of the conversation. Yuki had an equally mortified expression as the boy to his left, though he focused on the ground instead.

"You weren't supposed to find that out," Shigure spoke after a while, running his bangs back with the stroke of his hand. "…To be frank, I'm not quite sure how Ren found out either…Perhaps the maids were gossiping. Spreads like wildfire, huh."

"So she is…damn…" Kyou said, shaking his head. Yuki kept his eyes on the ground as he spoke up.

"Does that mean you're…you know…getting of it…" He didn't like the idea as much as the next person, although he didn't like the idea of the woman who tortured him as a child to be raising one of her own.

Shigure sighed, turning around to face the kids this time.

"No, it means that we were going to tell you when…well…when Akito was ready," he spoke up, offering them a small smile—one that didn't quite touch his eyes. "But, it looks like everyone in Tokyo is going to find out at this rate."

"Well…" Tohru began as she stood, smiling as she grabbed one of the novelist's hands. "Congratulations, then."

Akito's pregnancy was announced to the family within the week…as the rumor of the child passed from lip to lip around the family, as it was. And with the announcement came preparation…which finally allowed for them to move on.

And that was where they stood. They had made it over the initial 'hump'…but now they weren't sure where to move on from there. And it wasn't like they had anyone to really ask about it…as Shigure and Akito were the first to really start a family, out of the Jyuunishi, anyway.

Shigure closed his eyes, leaning the back of his head against the tub, feeling the warmth of the water caressing his body. It was relaxing, which was a well-needed feeling after all of the stress the past week had put on him. Cheeks slightly pink from the steam that rose from the tub, a smile slowly crawled onto his face as he spoke to the woman who sat on the bathroom floor beside him.

"Let's get married."

Akito kept her back to him, her head pressed to her knees. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"No," Shigure responded with a smile, reaching one hand out of the water to run through the back of her hair. "I want to marry you. I have since you were born."

"Liar," Akito said softly, shivering a bit as the water tickled her neck. Shigure chuckled, shaking his head.

"Mm, no…" he began, playing with the hem of her kimono. "I remember when _that woman_ became pregnant with you. You came to me in a dream, as well as Kureno, Ha'ri, Aaya, and Ritsu, of course. You said… _'I'm coming. You don't have to wait any longer.' _And I knew right then…" he said, tugging at the collar of her robe. "…that I loved you…more than any of the others…And I wanted you for myself," he finished, tugging on her robe so that it fell to her waist, her back now exposed to him.

"Was any of that true?" she asked, arching her back a little, as the stroke of his fingers along her skin sent a shiver down her spine. Shigure chuckled.

"Does it matter?" he asked, reaching around her to push her against the tub, towards him, and he pressed his lips to her neck. "But," he began, in between kisses. "For the record…it was."

Akito couldn't help but smile, even if it was a small one. She let out a bit of a giggle, arching her back again before she closed her eyes, but after a moment, she shook her head. "No," she began. "We can't."

"Why not?" Shigure asked, tilting his head. "The kids aren't even home…"

"No…" Akito said, shaking her head, turning away. "I mean…we can't get married."

Shigure let his hand fall back onto the edge of the tub. He knitted his brows, looking at her. She kept her back to him. "I don't see anyone stopping us."

"I…." Akito began, keeping her head turned the other way. "I don't know….if…I'm ready for it just yet…" She closed her eyes, feeling warm tears trickle down her cheeks. "I l…love you, Shigure…I do…but…"

"…It's okay," he said softly, his eyes sad, though he distracted himself by playing with her hair a bit. "There's no expiration date on this. We can get married whenever you're ready, Akito."

Akito was silent for a moment, her arms crossed around her chest, her hands gripping each opposite shoulder. She knitted her brows in frustration, thinking. Sighing softly, she shook her head for a few moments, tears rolling down her cheeks silently before she could speak. "You really love me, don't you..."

"Of course I do, Akito," Shigure spoke up, trailing his fingers along the skin of her back. "More than I could ever love anyone else in the entire world."

She wept for a moment before turning to him, smiling through her tears. "Then I'm not going to be a coward any longer," she began, wrapping her arms around the novelist. "…Let's get married, then…okay?" she asked in a whisper before Shigure pulled her into a deep kiss as a response.


	6. Passion

**A/N** _This chapter has a _**LEMON**_** in it. Not smut. My first lemon, actually! However, I will make sure you know where that section is in case you do not want to read it. The story still makes sense, with or without the lemon. So, enjoy!**_

He was reminiscing.

About the first time they had ever made love. It was so different from what it was now, and not just that it wasn't in a deep-set tub, either. No, there were different emotions in their heads back then… added to the fact that neither of them really knew what they were doing. That thought made a chuckle escape his lips—thankfully, though, Akito didn't notice, and kept kissing his neck, pressing him to the back of the tub.

He remembered it perfectly, like it was just yesterday.

They had been sitting in Akito's room, which wasn't unusual at all for them at that time. One thing that remained in common was that there usually wasn't any conversation, mind a few things said here and there. They were just things to fill the empty space. Usually, though, they were spoken by Shigure, which was why it startled the then twenty-one year-old to hear the fourteen year-old girl ahead of him speak up first.

"_Have you ever made love before, Shigure?"_

This wasn't an odd way for her to word things—in some ways she was quite mature for her age—though what did surprise him was the topic. He knew that one day such a topic would be discussed between the two; however, he had not expected it so…soon.

(**A/N:**_ Before I go any further, I am going to say that this is perfectly legal in Japan…the age of consent is 13 in that part of the country)_

"_Once,"_ he had responded to her truthfully. Seeing her look a bit uncomfortable, he explained further. _"We were both drinking, and she was too old for me. There was and is nothing between us."_

Akito pulled the sides of her kimono together a bit tighter. _"An older woman…It would be a change to sleep with someone my age."_

"_It would be a change…"_ he admitted, placing a hand on her shoulder. _"But…I would never sleep with someone your age." _As Akito's breath hitched, he leaned forward and whispered against her ear. _"I would only sleep with you."_

She had relaxed then, and turned to face him, a strange look on her face. _"…Tell me how to do it,"_ she said, knitting her brows. _"I don't know what to do. You're going to have to tell me."_

"_How about I show you?" _he whispered with a smirk as he leaned in to kiss her.

**LEMON BELOW. **

His lips met motionless ones, until the initial shock vanished from Akito's mind, and she pulled him towards her, her back now against the tatami. His hands were careful, gentle, yet greedy, as he felt every inch of her body. He wanted to savor this moment just as much as she did. He loved her more than he could ever love anyone else—he knew that ever since she had been born. And his love and need for her only grew for her each and every day. Now that her boyish figure had begun to blossom into womanhood, he wanted her even more. He was a lot older than her, and still looked out for her in a brotherly sort of way—however, right then, he wanted to be jealous, to have and keep her all to himself.

He never wanted to let her go.

The fourteen year-old parted her lips from his only a moment to take a breath, before diving right back in, her hands groping at every inch of his back. He chuckled at her impatience, deciding to up the ante a bit by tugging at her kimono. She gave no resistance and let the thin piece of material fall to her waist. All that separated the then-amateur novelist from gazing upon her entire form was the wrap that kept what little bust she had from showing in her clothes. He grinned greedily and lunged in to remove it with his teeth, which made the much younger girl give a squeak.

"_Why…are you removing that?"_ Akito asked, her coal eyes as wide as saucers. She didn't think there was any need for him to see that part of her body. It was more than just being embarrassed at what she lacked—she had no concept of foreplay at all. She barely knew the mechanics of having sex—it wasn't like she had any parent to tell her these things, and being home-schooled didn't help. She did have the head maid, who practically raised her, but the old woman tried to avoid such topics whenever Akito brought them up, merely telling her that she wasn't ready for that. Well, now she _really_ wasn't ready for it. And she was heading straight into the eye of the storm, so to speak.

"_I want to see you," _he responded with a chuckle as he tossed the wrap to the side. He slid warm hands up her sides, sliding to the middle to gain access to Akito's small breasts. She was obviously embarrassed, and turned her head to the side, letting him feel, but her eyes had a mixture of panic and pleasure.

"_There's nothing to see,"_ she spat, squirming beneath him a bit as he slid his thumbs across each brown peak. _"Cut it out, I don't like this."_

"_Shh,"_ he told her, placing his lips against hers to shut her up. Chuckling, he placed his forehead against hers, smirking at her. _"You talk too much."_

Akito had finally given up, deciding that he knew what was best, whether she liked to admit it or not. She had no clue what she was doing. Closing her eyes, she gave in and leaned forward to kiss him, but was taken by surprise when she felt his lips graze against her own, and instead took their spot against her jaw line, to her neck, collarbone… She was uncomfortable with this, but at the same time, didn't want to protest it. The feeling was simply alien. Having someone touch her like this, act selfless yet greedy at the same time, the impatience, the racing of her heart…

She let out a gasp as she felt his tongue leave a trail of moisture as it circled her nipple. Grunting, she clasped her hands around the back of his head, not sure whether to pull him away or push him closer to her. _"I don't…nngh…like…this," _she grunted out, feeling the vibration of his laughter against her skin as he moved from one breast to the other.

He knew that she would complain—it was in her nature to. He of course wasn't going to force her into anything she didn't want to do, but he knew Akito better than that. It was in her genes to pull back away from the world, to resist things even if she wanted them, to push away farthest those she loved the most. He accepted that it was just how she worked.

"_Stop teasing me!"_ the fourteen year-old suddenly exclaimed, her tiny fingers gripping his lengthy, black hair. He grinned against her skin before he pulled away, moving back up to meet her lips with his own. In the process, he unbuttoned his shirt, though Akito had taken charge and yanked it off of him, breaking two buttons in the process.

He chuckled, smirking at her through the darkness of the room. _"Impatient?" _he asked jokingly. The response he got was a mixture of anger and yearning melted into the young girl's expression. She was pleading, but upset that she had to, not wanting to seem weak around him. Though, Shigure thought quite the contrary of her. Though she was still so young, so fragile, she was strong and courageous, the amazing and beautiful aftermath of the grotesque horror that was Akira and Ren's relationship. Though not many other's saw it, Shigure viewed her as the epitome of perfect. Her flaws were what made her so…flawless. She was the love of his life.

The young novelist tossed his shirt to the side, and Akito wasted no time in undoing his tented pants. Her hands were as eager and determined as her face, which made him smile to himself as he helped her tug off his trousers. After a moment of squirming, they were added to the pile of clothing beside them, leaving him in only his boxers—the only clothing between the two of them.

"_Here,"_ Shigure began, pulling Akito with him to the futon, where he pushed her against the cushion of material beneath them. Her face was pink with embarrassment and fluster, unlike the novelist's, which remained cool and serene—the calm of the storm. They really complemented each other, in more ways than just the former.

Just as Shigure was removing his boxers, a pale hand wrapped its slender fingers around Shigure's slightly tanned arm. He turned to her with curiosity, meeting wide, coal eyes with his own cool, chocolate ones. _"Will it hurt?"_ she asked, the panic suddenly bubbling in her chest. She was scared, heading into something she knew nothing about, and it pained her to feel as weak as she did. The uncertainty scared her, but she didn't want to stop. If sex was such a bad thing, they wouldn't glorify it in every civilization and culture since the dawn of man. She just had cold feet.

"_At first," _he responded to her, honestly, reaching up his hand to push a lock of black hair behind her ear. _"Are you having second thoughts?"_

Her face, at first, seemed scared and worried, but suddenly a look of determination took over as she shook her head. She was going to do this. _"No. Please, go ahead."_

Pleased with that answer, he reached down to slide his boxers off the rest of the way, tossing them to the pile of pants, shirt, and kimono. He rested his fingers upon her cheek, looking into her eyes as she spoke next. _"Are you ready?"_ he asked, one last time. At her nod, he pulled her close, situating himself over her. The fourteen year-old turned her head to the side, her eyes closed in anticipation. She was scared, but she definitely wanted to do this. Aside from the lust and passion she felt, there was just a yearning to achieve this sort of milestone in her and the older man's relationship. She loved him, though she would never admit it, of course. Even though she wasn't his first, he was definitely hers. And, selfish or not, she wanted him all to herself.

Akito let out a yelp at the initial penetration, her nails digging into his back as she felt a wave of pain travel through her person. This was supposed to feel _good_? She bit down hard on her bottom lip, being in pain, but not wanting to stop, either. She wasn't necessarily a masochist, but she just wanted, yearned for it to get better. At least Shigure was apparently taking in mind the fact that her body was not fully matured yet, and accommodated that fact by moving at a pace that would be as comfortable for the both of them as possible.

After a few moments, however, each thrust became more fluid, and the pangs of discomfort and soreness inside of the young girl were replaced by pulsating pleasure. She wrapped her limbs around the novelist, a rippled moan escaping her lips, unable to be contained within her diaphragm. She switched between keeping her eyes closed and focusing on the ceiling. Her moans became more frequent, and it seemed the more she tried to suppress them, in fear that someone would hear, the louder they escaped her lips. She was finally experiencing the bliss of what it was to make love, a feeling she initially had thought impossible.

Though Shigure wasn't a virgin, he had experienced anything like this in his life. Along with the pain that accompanied the rather tight fit, so to speak, came the utmost pleasure he had ever felt. There were emotions that he felt with Akito that of course did not apply to the older woman that he credited to 'deflowering' him. One, he had been drunk, and didn't feel much of _anything_ that night. But with Akito, these were feelings he had never experienced—love, lust, passion, a hunger to feel every inch of the woman beneath him…He didn't know if there was a better feeling in the world.

With every passing moment, the joining between their two bodies became more and more passionate, more pleasure-filled, more _perfect_. Along with the building emotion came a pressure building in the novelist's groin, signaling that he, not unlike Akito, was on the verge of climax. Shortly after a breathy gasp escaped the girl's lips, the sweet release finally reached them both, which ended in Shigure plopping down beside Akito, both of their chests rising and falling rhythmically. He pulled her close to him, listening to the sound of her light panting puffing against the silence of the room, countering his own breath. She looked up at him after a moment, placing her hand to his cheek. No words needing to be said, their lips met once again, tears sliding down Akito's pale cheeks, marking the end of a beautiful night.

She had never felt more perfect.

**END LEMON.**

"Shigure…what are you thinking about?" Akito asked, pulling Shigure from his thoughts. She had only stopped kissing him for a moment, but automatically knew that his mind was somewhere else. He smiled, pulling her closer to him.

"Just remembering things," he responded. "Hmm… I don't like that feeling."

"Of what?" Akito asked quietly, her brows knitted ever-so slightly in frustration and curiosity. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as Shigure's index finger traced its way along her side to her abdomen, then up past the little cleavage she had, all the way to her neck, then chin.

He chuckled and leaned forward, whispering against her lips. "…the coldness left from your lips leaving mine," he answered with a smile before diving in for another kiss.


	7. Growth

**A/N: **_I know so far it's been more Shigure-based, but I purposely made this from Akito's perspective more. It's just a way for you guys to know what's going inside her mind—I'm sure it's far more interesting than Shigure's, ha ha._

The fast-paced days turned into weeks, months, and the changes were coming too quickly for Akito. She was already sick enough as it was, but with the addition of a baby that was greedily taking her energy and nutrients, she just felt that much more ill. She vomited almost every morning now, sometimes in the middle of the day, too, and the frequency, though uncommon, was marked as nothing suspicious by Hatori. Basically, even though she felt more miserable than ever, she was perfectly healthy, and these changes were normal.

Her body was changing too quickly, too, and the worst part was that she couldn't stop it. Not only had her usually-flat stomach expanded quite a bit, her breasts had grown in size too, and although she wouldn't have minded that under other circumstances, they ached almost constantly. She was frequently dizzy, tired, and had heartburn more than anything. She wished there was a magical pill that could cure it all, but it was just one of those things that pregnant women couldn't take anything to ease the pain—in the time where they needed it the most.

Not only that, but she was ten times more irritable, and snapped at the smallest things—which said a lot, considering how she acted normally. Though, for some reason, she had been a lot gentler with Shigure, which was odd, but she couldn't and didn't want to explain it.

She sat with him one morning on the porch, leaning against him, her hand resting idly on his lap, where the one he had wrapped around her ran up and down her growing stomach. Usually she hated being around him, hated him seeing her in the weak state she was, but lately she had just been…well, simply put, in love with him. They were to be married soon, just a private ceremony, but they wanted to be married before the child was born. Akito was still scared at the whole idea, but she knew it was best and she knew that Shigure would take care of her.

"Oh, there it is," the novelist mused, his voice vibrating against the top of her head where he rested his chin. He had felt the dull pounding of the baby's foot against the inside of the woman's abdomen. To the novelist, it was a miracle of life, but it just scared Akito. Each kick or movement she could feel inside of her just made her realize that much more that she was having a baby. She was responsible for someone's life. A tiny little human was _living_ inside of her. That scared her more than anything in the world.

What would make the baby even more real was finding out what gender it was. She was seventeen weeks along at this point, nearly five months, which was more than enough time to find it out. But she had just been putting it off, in fear of the reality…but Shigure was getting impatient, and so they had, to Akito's dismay, made an appointment at a clinic for later that day. Hatori, of course, didn't have the resources to find out such a thing, but she would have felt much more comfortable with him than some other doctor.

"Shigure," she began softly, her coal eyes focused on the hand that rested on his lap. "…Are you scared?" There was a short silence, and in that silence she looked up at him, the worry evident in her eyes. The novelist's expression was, at first, a surprised one, but then he smiled, kissing her on the forehead.

"Of course I am; that's perfectly natural," he began, running his hand that had previously been resting on the bump that didn't quite look proportionate to her petite body, over to grab her hand, which rested on his lap. "But there's nothing really to be afraid of. That child couldn't possibly be in a better place right now, except wrapped up in your arms," he told her giving her a gentle kiss before he lay back a tad, letting Akito lean against him further.

Akito seemed satisfied at that statement, yet something still nagged at the back of her mind. There was always going to be fear inside of her; the fear that she would become anything even resembling _that woman_. She didn't want to hurt her child the way she was hurt, but she had a feeling that…with Shigure by her side, things would be different.

"…Will you move in with me?" she suddenly asked, looking up at him. It was at that moment that a sort of desperation had filled her bosom. She didn't want to be alone through this. And seeing Shigure whenever he would come over or, worse, when she would go over there, well, it wasn't enough. She wanted to see him every morning when she woke up. She wanted to be with him all hours of the day. She wanted him to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, and reassure her when she was down. His role was something that no one else could fill; not Kureno, nor Hatori—no one. He was her Shigure, her loyal dog, the only one that had truly stayed with her throughout the whole ordeal that was her life. He was the one constant thing in her life and she wanted to keep him there.

She was scared that she would lose him.

"Not right away," Shigure responded to her, which made her heart sink a bit. When he saw the look on her face, he decided to clarify. "The kids need me yet. Yuki hasn't found an apartment, and I'm not sure if Kyou and Tohru are ready to move out just yet."

"But I'm ready," she complained, turning around so that she was facing him, one hand gripping his kimono, the other on his lap. "Doesn't that matter? Or maybe you just want to leave me after all!" she spat, though in her face was an obvious look of distress.

He chuckled softly, which aggravated Akito. God, she loved him, but she wanted to hate him more than anything in the world! However, before she could yell at him, he placed a hand against her cheek, which caused that icy exterior to melt instantly. She hated him. "I would never leave you, Akito," he told her softly, looking into those dark eyes of hers. "Don't you realize that by now? I love you. I'm having a child with you. And I couldn't be happier. But I have a duty, and that duty is to take care of the three teenagers living in my house." He looked her up and down a moment. "How about we make a compromise?"

"Compromise?" she asked, her brows knit, eyes wide. He nodded, cupping each side of her face with his hands.

"How about you stay with me? For as long as you need…and if the children move, I will go back with you to the main house," he told her with a smile, wrapping his arms around her. She wasn't quite sure what to say. She wanted to be with him, even if half of the time she just wanted to yell at him and push him away…but she didn't know how awkward it would be with the kids living there. There was Kyou, who she had hurt, Yuki, who she had permanently scarred, and Tohru, who she felt it her own fault that the girl fell off that cliff. Three kids she had hurt almost worse than everyone else, and she would be staying with them and Shigure—the one she hurt the most. She didn't really want to be a burden.

As if the novelist could read her mind, he slid his hands up to the back of her neck, pulling her close to him. "…The kids would barely be there. Yuki's occupied in finding an apartment, and Kyou and Tohru are always out on the town… Most of the time, it'll be just you and me," he whispered against her forehead before planting a kiss there. Akito wasn't that easily swayed, and her eyes filled up with tears.

"But I've hurt them so badly," she said, leaning against his chest, scared. "I've already burnt that bridge down, Shigure."

He smiled softly, recalling the words he had spoken to Yuki months prior. "Well…" he whispered against her skin, holding her in his arms. "…Now's a good time to go find more wood."


	8. Impatience

Shigure hated seeing Akito in the distress that she was in—he wanted to take it all away, to make it all better. But, with Akito, one must be patient, he told himself. Akito was still practically a child herself—she had only just turned twenty three, whereas he was almost thirty years old. He understood that she—especially she, of all people—would have trouble with having a baby. In fact, most of the Jyuunishi had bad experiences with their parents; he could understand why anyone would be hesitant.

He, however, had a relatively easy life. He had two parents that loved him to death, though he had a mother that wouldn't stop nagging him about getting married and having children. Well, now she was getting her wish, and so he had two perfectly pleased parents. His childhood had been simple, too; while his friends had their share of problems, Hatori used to always say that he had it the easiest of all. Which was partly true. He was one of the only children in the Jyuunishi that had a "normal" childhood. He was, somehow, able to date girls without having them find out about the curse, whereas Hatori put up a barrier to block anyone from getting close, and Ayame had to watch out even in cold weather to keep from transforming. Ayame also had problems with his family—a horrible mother and a brother he barely knew, whereas Shigure was an only child who instead of wondering when the next time his parents would say "I love you", he was wondering when the next school dance was. That didn't mean that Shigure didn't have _any_ problems, however.

In fact, he had quite a few. The first and foremost, however, was Akito. He had been madly in love with her from the day he knew of her existence, even before Ren knew. He was the most frequently abused member of the zodiac—solely from Akito. Sometimes physical—though she was much smaller than him and not really a threat—but mostly mental. Playing with his heart, things like that. He couldn't gain sympathy or pity from the other zodiac members because well, to be frank, he was envied. Envied for his ability to get along with normal people, for his closeness to "god", though that was enough trouble right there in and of itself.

Though, it wasn't really much of a reason to be envied. Akito loved him the most, but that meant that he got the worst of her aggression. When she had slept with Kureno in retaliation, he had been so hurt, so depressed, that he slept with Ren to get back at her. He was not once proud of it, and he knew how selfish it was. But he had been hurt. Not that Akito cared. She didn't even consider the fact that she slept with Kureno as an instigator for this. Shigure was apparently a traitor, and so he was the first person in the Sohma family to be kicked out of the property. Well, he wasn't necessarily kicked out, like most thought he was. He left because he was so sick of Akito, and he thought that maybe by leaving, he would break the bond with her.

He tried to isolate himself, but when he heard of Yuki's problems, he allowed him to live in his house with him. Then came Tohru and Kyou, and well…now he had a full house. Plus, he had gone back to Akito, and they retained their retained their relationship. Well, what little relationship they had. It was mostly seeing each other once a week, throwing a few things, and then having cold, unfeeling sex. Then he would leave. And that was how it was for years, until slowly, but surely, Akito's icy exterior began to melt. And Shigure melted too, until they were how they were that day, when the curse had broken, and they could admit their true feelings for one another.

"Shi…gure," came a soft voice from beside the novelist. Akito was hunched over on her side, the soft blush on her face barely visible against the moonlight. She was dreaming again, which brought a smile to Shigure's face, though it was probably a nightmare—she had them most nights, now, which he assumed was normal for pregnant women, what, with their hormones skyrocketing all over the place. Though, he could see she was more stressed than usual.

Just that day, they had found out the gender of the baby—a girl. Though Shigure couldn't have been more elated to have an adorable baby girl, Akito seemed stressed out. He could only imagine why; she didn't want history to repeat itself. But Shigure didn't see anything wrong with it. He knew that Akito made a great family head, and so would their daughter—they didn't have to have a son for that. He also knew that Akito, though was very similar in appearance to, was nothing like her mother. History wasn't going to repeat itself; he was confident.

He reached over and placed a hand to her cheek—she was cold, he noticed immediately, and so he pulled the blanket higher around her, watching her as she slept. She was so peaceful, even when having a nightmare…it was just such a change from the norm for her. The way her fingers curled around her kimono, like a small child…She was so beautiful, so perfect. He felt honored to just be in love with her.

Suddenly, her shivering form jolted upright, and she took a deep breath, blinking a few times as she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. The novelist remained laying on the futon, one eye opened to look at her. "Akito," he began softly, reaching his hand over to grab hers. "It's okay…"

She turned to him, tears in her eyes, one slipping down her cheek. Her mouth slightly agape, she suddenly wrapped her arms around him, and he sat upright, pulling her into his arms. He hated seeing her in pain, but he enjoyed the feeling of being depended on…being needed. It was selfish, perhaps, but it was a feeling he liked.

"I love you," she whispered against his neck, pulling him closer to him, like she never wanted to let go of him. He didn't know why the sudden change of emotion, but he of course didn't mind it—though he just attributed it to the pregnancy.

Smiling, he kissed her on the cheek. "I love you too," he answered, reaching up to wipe her bangs from her face. "I hope you know that. And I love this beautiful, perfect little girl we've created," he added, grinning as he bent down to press his ear to her protruding belly. "Oh…do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Akito asked, wiping her eyes with a hand. The novelist grinned, looking up at his future wife.

"She's singing," he responded, closing his eyes, keeping his ear pressed to the cloth of her kimono. "Yes, I hear her quite well. Mm…" he began, singing a little tune. "_Although the scars of yesterday remain, you can go on living as much as your heart believes. You can't be born again although you can change. Let's stay together always_."

"Where have I heard that before?" she asked him softly, running her hands through his hair. God, he knew exactly what to do to calm her down…she loved him.

"Hm, I don't remember," he said, lifting his head to meet her at eyelevel. Grinning, he pressed his forehead to hers. "But let's not think about that," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She stayed motionless for a brief second before she gave in and kissed back, eagerly, impatiently. Suddenly, the kisses heated up, and Shigure couldn't even tell if they were kisses anymore or just a haphazard inspection of mouth with tongue.

He suddenly pushed her away. Though her impatience made him chuckle, he didn't want to get worked up for nothing. "Not tonight," he said softly, not meeting her gaze. She moved back, knitting her brows, as if he said the most absurd thing in the world. The day Shigure denied sex… "The kids…"

Akito scowled. She knew this wasn't going to be good. She remembered—she was staying with Shigure and the other's now…which meant that even though she got to see him every day, she was giving up a very important part of their relationship. It wasn't fair! And it didn't feel natural to only have sex in the day when the kids were gone, counting the minutes until they got home. God, she felt like a teenager in fear of her parents returning!

"I hate this!" she spat, turning around so that she didn't have to face him. The _one night_ she actually didn't feel too sick to do anything…and actually _instigated_ it…was the night that Shigure just had to deny it. The first night staying at his house was sure an uncomfortable one.

"Hm, I'm sorry," he said, crawling over to her from behind, placing his chin on her shoulder, and wrapping his arms around her body, placing his hands on her very pregnant abdomen. "Mm…tomorrow, let's go down to the garden. We'll take a picnic, just you and me. And our daughter."

Akito hated Shigure. She hated the way that he could cheer her up with two sentences when she just wanted to stay angry. Frowning at that fact, she placed her hands on the ones that rested on her stomach and leaned back against him, frustrated at the situation. "Alright…" she whispered, letting a long sigh release from her lips as she closed her eyes, hearing the novelist's breathing that countered her own. And with that, she drifted off in Shigure's arms, the warmth their bodies shared comforting her as she fell into a world of darkness.


	9. Comfort

"It's too hot out here," Akito complained as she and her fiancee trudged down the stone path to the tsubaki garden. She wore nothing but black, from her socks to her sunglasses-then again, it _was_ her favorite color. "The sun shines too much here. I knew this was a bad idea."

"Well, maybe if you didn't wear all of that black, Akii-chan," Shigure said from his spot a few paces behind her, carrying a few things for their picnic. His statement was met with a grumble from his rather-pregnant wife.

"Akii-chan...don't call me that disgusting name...I've never been more demeaned in my life," the frail Akito spat, stopping once they had reached the small pond in the center of the garden. She walked across the stepping stones until she made her way to the center platform, the novelist not too far behind her.

Shigure only smiled at his future wife's words as he set down the blanket, readying them for the picnic. "Here we are," he stated, using his sandaled foot to press out any ripples in the blanket. "Let's just have this picnic in peace. Tohru made a lot of good food, heh."

"Where did she learn to cook like this?" Akito asked, in a rather negative tone. "Sometimes I don't believe she's a real person."

Shigure laughed and ruffled his wife's hair. "Don't be silly, Akito-sama," he said softly. "What a hilarious accusation to make. Tohru is as real as it gets."

"Not really..." Akito muttered under her breath.

A short silence passed between them. A crow cawwed overhead a few times, the hum of the cicadas vibrated through the leaves, a few song birds sang from their perches. It really was a glorious day.

"What're we gonna name her?" Akito muttered again, playing with the hem on her slightly ill-fitting shirt. Shigure just looked at her.

"Pardon?"

"I said, what are we going to name her?" she repeated herself, over-accentuating the words this time through gritted teeth. She was uncomfortable talking about this whole baby thing but...she decided she might as well get used to the idea.

Shigure seemed surprised, thrilled, but surprised, that she had brought it up first, but he returned her statement with a gentle smile. "I was thinking something along the lines of Yuko, or Ayane...Maybe something American. Samantha?"

"What an ugly name," Akito spat, as she started to dig in the picnic box. "I want to name her Kaoru."

"Kaoru?" Shigure grinned at the thought that Akito _had_ been considering names, which meant she cared more than she let on. "Kaoru it is. What about middle names?"

Akito was silent for a long time. Shigure studied her face, though the young woman had only a very deep-in-thought look. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, she said, "..Ren."

If the novelist had been drinking, he would have spit it all out. "Akito?" he said between chuckles. "Are you...are you serious?"

The look she gave him made him realize very quickly that she was, in fact, serious.

"Ah, well... Are you...Positive? You want to name your own daughter after _her_?"

"Kaoru Ren... 'Fragrant Lotus'..." Akito only said that, and nothing more. Shigure knew she was just finding an excuse, but he didn't want to press it. Perhaps she was pitying her mother? Or maybe it was some darker plan...

Either way, he smiled and gave her a gentle kiss. "Kaoru Ren Sohma. It's perfect."

_Short, long awaited chapter. It'll be longer next time! Sorry!_


	10. Love

One loud explicitive after another rang through the halls of the Sohma estate.

Shigure thought Akito was going to break his hand.

"Akito, just try to relax," the novelist began nervously, as he offered his sore hand to the woman who was currently in labor. At first, Akito had wanted him out of the room, but the second he left she called him back. _Probably so she could crush my hand _he thought to himself, sweatdropping at the strength the tiny Akito had suddenly gained.

"Relax? Have you ever pushed a baby out your-"

"Well, no, but..."

"Arguing won't do you two any good," the head maid who knelt on the other side of Akito intervened, dipping a rag into some cold water before she wrung it out and used it to wipe the head of the clan's forehead. "You've only been at this an hour, who knows how many more you have ahead of you."

"W-What?" Akito practically screamed. "Hours? I thought this was almost over!"

"You're not dilated nearly enough," Hatori said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "Besides, your mother's labor lasted nearly ten hours."

Akito thought she was going to faint.

Shigure thought his hand was going to break.

The maid thought this would have gone a lot better.

But, as there is a time for everything, seven hours later, Akito's screaming ceased as Hatori pulled a screaming infant from her legs. There was a silence through the room as the four of them stared at the new form of life that had just been created.

"Congratulations," the doctor began once he had cleaned off the child, offering the infant to her mother. "You have a healthy 7 pound, six ounce baby girl."

Akito stared at her, but didn't raise her hands to take the child. Shigure noticed and quickly reached over to pluck her into his arms.

"My daughter...Kaoru Ren...I can't believe I have a daughter," he said tearfully, kissing the infant who had since stopped crying. "I can't believe... _we_ have a daughter."

Akito just stared at the baby, speechless, before she slowly started to move to get up.

"Young mistress..." the head maid began as Akito slowly stepped out of the room, and outdoors. Shigure wasted no time in following, cradling the infant in his arms as he did so.

Instantly, he felt the misty grass dampen his bare feet as he followed his soon-to-be wife out to the garden. When she stopped walking, he stopped, shivering in the cool morning air as he watched her hunch over, turning his head just in time to avoid seeing her vomit.

A silence followed when Akito fixed her robes, keeping her back to her fiance, wiping her mouth. Then... "I feel...strange..."

"Strange?" Shigure asked, holding himself back from approaching her. The infant looked up at him with newborn's blue-gray eyes, and he ran a hand through the little patch of hair atop her head.

"I feel like... I love her... but I don't even know her, she's...She's a baby..." the woman ahead of him spluttered, gripping her robes. Shigure took this as the time to approach her, and he did so, slowly.

"That's because you're her mother..." he said, comfortingly. "Mother's love their children..." His eyes became serious. "All mothers do..."

"...Not _her_..." Akito responded, and Shigure was silent. But, after a moment, she took him by surprise. "Can I...hold her?"

Shigure's eyes widened, but then he smiled, happily. "Of course you can. You're her mother."

Akito then turned to face him, and, with shaky hands, was handed the baby. She watched her, holding her awkwardly in her frail arms, as tears dripped down her cheeks, silently. They dripped down Shigure's as well as he wrapped his arms around her and their child, promising to never let go.

_The story's almost done! But, it might have a sequel. Did I ever tell you guys how much I love you? 8D_


	11. Peace

"What are you thinking of?" The novelist asked his fiance as he watched her sit on the porch as the rain poured down, her kimono astray as it normally was, revealing two pale legs that seemed extremely thin compared to the small bit of weight she still retained on her stomach-although, she couldn't have weighed more than a hundred pounds as it was.

The two stood on the porch of the Sohma estate, where they had gone back to temporarily to stay when and after the baby was born, save the fact that there wasn't nearly enough room for a baby in Shigure's house, along with three kids, Akito, and the novelist himself.

"I'm not," the black-haired "beauty" spat, her dark eyes looking out at nothing in particular, although she jolted a bit when the wailing of an infant filled the courtyard. She gripped her kimono at the sound, disgusted. "I don't like that sound it makes."

"Well, babies tend to make noises, you know," Shigure said as he took a seat next to his wife, hearing the footsteps of one of the maids come to care for their newborn daughter. "Sometimes a baby needs its mother's touch, though, too."

"No," Akito spat dreadfully, turning her head away from him, though something got caught in her throat.

"Why not?" asked the novelist. "She's your...She's our daughter. She needs a father _and_ a mother, Akii-chan."

Wincing at the nickname, the woman responded quietly. "But...what if I hold it...a-and it keeps making that dreadful noise...What if it won't shut up...What if I can't do anything about it...What...What if..."

Shigure looked at his obviously troubled fiance, and wrapped his arms around her petite form, placing a kiss to the milky skin of her cheek. "Akito... That's why you need to try these things... Because chances are, a mother's touch is all Kaoru needs."

"I never needed a mother's touch," Akito muttered to herself, avoiding Shigure's gaze. However, the novelist just gave her a smile, a serious look remaining in his eyes.

"Yes, you did." _You still do..._ He thought to himself, tightening the embrace a little. Akito closed her eyes tightly at his words, feeling tears brim in her eyes, but she showed no signs of weakness.

She kept her eyes closed as she spoke. "I'd like to be alone."

The novelist looked at her, then offered a small smile, the corners of his eyes wrinkling a little. "As you wish, Akii-chan," he told her, his arms dropping to his side as he pulled away from the embrace. "I'll be heading home now to check on the kids...Are you sure you don't want to come with?"

"Mm," Akito responded, looking down at her feet. Shigure gave a little nod.

"Well, I'll be back in the morning. Will you be alright here on your own tonight?"

Akito nodded this time, silently, as her eyes looked off into the distance, purposely avoiding his gaze.

"Alright, well...Call me if you need anything." And with that, the novelist headed off.

Akito stood there in her thoughts for a moment, before she glanced over into the house. There, barely in view, lie the crib which her newly-settled infant lay. The maid had apparently taken care of her crying and headed off to somewhere or another. The girl felt something uncomfortable in the pit of her stomach, and slowly crept forward into the room, her eyes wide as she made her way for the crib, in the manner one would look as if a monster lie on the other side.

Shigure grabbed his coat and scarf from the entrance, ready to head back home. However, just as he was slipping on his shoes, he heard a quiet, beautiful voice singing in the distance.

"_Something delicate, special like the love we new. My fragile heart beats at times secure, at times alone._ _My first treasure took me years to find...It's what I cling to when confusion clouds my mind..."_

He had a curious look on his face as he slowly peeked into the door leading into the other room, where he saw his fiance standing over a little crib, with one hand reaching in, as she delicately stroked the cheek of an infant, singing.

"_When you come to me and you smile, suddenly I feel as if everything's okay, lost in your smile, all at once I'm swept away..."_

Shigure stood in the doorway, joining in with her as she sang.

"_True love falls upon me like rain, the world becomes one big cold and lonely place, you carry me through, from dreary skies the sun breaks through..."_

Akito snapped her head up to look at him, embarrassed, but the Dog stepped forward towards her, putting an arm around her as he looked at their child, and the two of them sang together.

_"When you're feeling lost and don't know what to do, just look, you'll see me, calling out to you...And when you're shaking from winter wind upon your face, I'll hurry towards you; I'll warm you up with an embrace..."_

_Baby, you can count on me_

_Always and forever I'll stand right next to you_

_Come what may_

_I know it's what we'll see it through_

_Love can be a delicate thing_

_True love has a power that's infinitely real_

_Locking the heart_

_In true emotions that you feel _

**AN: **_Thanks for reading, guys! I'm thinking maybe another chapter, then an epilogue! Thanks for reading, my faithful readers. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far! By the way, the song is "Serenade" from the Fruits Basket sound track-the English version. A beautiful version sung by Laura Bailey, Tohru's voice actor in the anime. I suggest listening to it while you read this chapter! The other songs I have used in this story are "Hello, My Beautiful" by Vic Mignogna and "For Fruits Basket."_


	12. Forgiveness

"You want to do this," Akito told herself as she walked down the chilly path, the first flakes of snow falling ahead of her as she carried a bundle of pink blankets in her frail arms. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that inside those blankets lie the pale form of an infant baby girl, whose middle name she shared with the woman whose house they stood in front of.

The baby gave out a little straggled noise, as if to respond to her mother's nervous babbling. The skinny woman who held the little Kaoru looked at her daughter with questionable eyes.

"Do I really want to do this?"

As a response, Kaoru only opened her eyes, a gray-blue, as most babies had. Akito looked at her daughter with a frightened look, then gave a sigh, closing her eyes.

"I have to, don't I?"

She didn't need a further response before she reached up and knocked on the door. The sound of her scarred knuckles against the heavy wood intimidated her as she stood there, cradling her infant, waiting for someone to come to the door. However, as soon as the "maybe she isn't home" thought popped into her head, the large door slowly creaked open, but only enough so that the darkness inside the room was visible.

"Who is it?" replied a voice wrapped in such old age that Akito barely recognized it, though it still had the same tones of her own voice. They were so similar at one point that they had been hard to differentiate, but now it seemed that the voice was so old, that it was a completely different person.

Akito couldn't swallow. She couldn't _breathe_. All she could feel or hear was her heartbeat pounding in her chest. However, as if to break the silence, the little Kaoru made a little gurgling noise, and a gasp came from inside the darkness of the room, as the door whipped open.

Ren stood there, in front of her daughter and granddaughter, in loose robes, her hair longer than ever, but it had lost its lustriousness. Her skin wasn't so milky anymore, but it was wrinkled in places, and she had a few more freckles dotting her skin occasionally. Her cleavage hung slighly further and was visible between the opening of her robes, and her nails, like talons, gripped the door frame. For once in her life, Akito had lost the jealously she had had for her once-beautiful mother as she saw the aging creature before her. Only months before she had been to Shigure's house, but she appeared to be even older, as if the weight on her shoulders had finally taken a toll on her.

The woman was somewhat surprised to see Akito standing there before her instead of Shigure, who she initially thought had been bringing the infant. The two of them stood there for a moment, facing one another, a shocked look on the older woman's face, while Akito stared determined ahead of her.

"What...what are you..." that old voice struggled to say, as she placed her hands over her thin lips. The next words that were spoken were more muffled. "Why are you..."

"Her name..." Akito began softly, extending the bundle towards that wretched woman she had hated for years. "Is Kaoru Ren Sohma."

But, Ren only stood there. She didn't reach for the infant, or smile at her, or even look at her. She just stared at Akito, a long, confused stare, as a silence passed through them. And then, the door creaked shut, and locked. And there Akito stood, her arms still extended. And there she waited. And there her heart sank. And there, Kaoru saw her grandmother for the last time.

But something warmed up inside Akito even as the snow flakes fell at a quicker pace. She felt at peace for once, as she headed off the porch, holding Kaoru close to her. At peace, beacuse she had done everything she could. Even if her mother was a lost cause, she had tried. And then, suddenly, she swore she heard a voice, familiar once, long, long ago... Whispering words to her she couldn't remember. And tears streamed down her face, as she felt the warmth of her father's hand against her own, before it had faded into the coldness of death. And something, from this memory, deep inside her, caused her to sing out to her infant, in a quiet, shaky voice.

"Now let's all gather...Enjoying the company we share... Our tears will dissolve into thin air...as we drink up this wonderful life."

_**A/N: **__Alright, that's the end, folks! I might do an epilogue, but then I can promise you a sequel is coming! Love you guys! Thanks for reading Unshakeable!_


	13. Announcement!

Hey guys! Akito here!

Now, this isn't a chapter. More like a little announcement.

I just wanted to tell you that the new Unshakable story is called "Silence"! Please read it!

Love you guys! Thanks for reading Unshakable! I am as sad to see it end as you are, but now that my new story is up, it doesn't have to!


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